Soon Lei vs Goon Wah.

How often do you find two restaurants that serve similar dishes just a few doors apart on the same street? Let me tell you that it happens very often in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya and all across Malaysia.

For this match up, we'll take a closer look at the two restaurants that are 5 doors apart from each other – (Kedai Makanan Dan Minuman) Soon Lei and (Restoran) Goon Wah, which both serve Claypot Fish Head Noodles as their flagship dish, (which honestly, I don't fancy all too much compared to the simply delicious option at Woo Pin, Taman Danau Desa), plus other dishes in the line-up namely Claypot Loh Shi Fun, Woo Tao Kow Yook (Stewed Yam and Pork), Stir Fried Pork Intestines and Guinness Chicken Wings.

After a 3-day Try-out between both restaurants, I would comprehensively conclude that there's no clear winner in taste and overall experience. They both have different styles in cooking the same traditional hakka dishes. And that's a good thing.

Though if I were to choose one, I'd say the Claypot Fish Head Noodles at Soon Lei is slightly ahead as the soup is thicker and tastier. The other dishes to go for here include the ones shown in the instagram above: Claypot Loh Shi Fun with minced pork and raw egg; Kwong Sai (GuangXi) Stuffed Taufoo Pok (Beancurd Puff) with Chinese Chives with pork and fish; Fried Sang Cheong (Pork Intestines) with fried dried shrimps; Stir Fried Hakka Yam Abacus; Deep Fried Butter Milk Mantis Prawn; Woo Tao Kow Yook (Stewed Yam and Pork); Guinness Chicken Wings; Hakka Yong Tau Foo with pork-loaded fish paste that's authentically Hakka-style; and not forgetting their Fried Rice and Noodles dishes as well.

Soon Lei's address:
G7, Block KP1, Jalan 3/115C, Taman Kuchai Jaya, KL • HP: 016-273 5369 (Ah Soon)

After you've tried out the dishes at Soon Lei, you will want to drop by Goon Wah just to taste the difference for yourself.

As I've said the Claypot Fish Head Noodles are very similar. But the Claypot Loh Shi Fun is definitely tastier with the crispy and crunchy deep fried ha mai (dried shrimps) and chee yau chas (deep fried pork lard bits) as toppings.

Additional dishes to order here are: Guinness Chicken Wings with sesame seeds; Fried Sang Cheong (Pork Intestines) with deep fried dried shrimps (which to me tastes 98% similar with the one at Soon Lei and both fantastic!); and Woo Tao Kow Yook (Stewed Yam and Pork) (which both restaurants are different in taste but equally yuummmz! in their own style).

Goon Wah's address:
G13 & 14, Jalan 3/115C, Block KP 2, Taman Kuchai Jaya, KL • Tel: 03-7982 0048 / 03-7984 0722 (call to make reservations for the air-conditioned VIP room!)